"You smell like a ghost"
As the sun set, Shiro was pruning wisteria branches in the courtyard. When she heard the gate open, she immediately put down her scissors and turned around. Giyuu appeared at the door, his haori stained with dust and a rare look of fatigue between his brows.
"Welcome back, Giyu-senpai." Shiro quickly approached him, noticing that he was more silent than usual. "Is the meeting over?"
Yiyong nodded slightly and sat down under the eaves. Bai brought him some tea and knelt quietly beside him.
"Did something big happen?" she asked softly, "It requires all nine pillars to be present."
Giyuu was silent for a moment, as if weighing his words. "After the mission at Nada Spider Mountain, a young man joined the Demon Slayer Corps with his demon sister."
The teapot in Bai's hand trembled slightly, and the tea almost spilled out. "Ghost...sister?"
"Tanjiro Kamado and his sister Nezuko." Giyu's voice remained calm. "As a demon, Nezuko hasn't eaten anyone in two years."
Bai's fingertips began to feel cold. She clutched her sleeve tightly, trying to remain calm. "And then? Did the other pillars... accept this?"
"Buzukawa tested Nezuko with her rare blood," Giyuu continued, "and she protected humanity."
At the word "rare blood," Shiro's breath hitched. She recalled her time in Muzan's lab, the days of having her blood repeatedly drawn. And when Giyuu mentioned that Urokodaki Sakonji had guaranteed Nezuko's life with the lives of all three of them, Shiro's teacup finally fell to the ground with a thud, shattering into pieces.
"You... agreed?" Her voice trembled. "You're going to use your life... to guarantee a ghost?"
Yiyong looked at the broken porcelain pieces on the ground and nodded slightly: "This is necessary."
"Necessary?" Bai's tears flowed uncontrollably. "Why would you be so careless about your life? Why would you risk everything for a stranger?"
Yiyong seemed to be surprised that she would be so excited, and looked at her with a slightly dazed look.
"If you die..." Bai's voice choked, "If you die because of such a promise, then I..."
She couldn't say any more, so she could only lower her head and let the tears fall onto her knees. The memories she had buried deep within her resurfaced—Muzan's cold gaze in the laboratory, Douma's delighted expression as he devoured humans, and Kokushibo's exhortation to "stay alive" as he let her go.
If Giyuu knew she was also a demon, would he treat her the same way the Wind Pillar treated Nezuko? Would he regret taking her in and teaching her?
"Bai." Yiyong's voice brought her back from her fear.
She raised her head and saw Yiyong handing her a handkerchief through her tearful eyes.
"We won't die." His tone remained calm, yet with unquestionable determination, "Nezuko is a different kind of demon, just like..."
He paused, as if searching for the right words. Bai's heart nearly stopped, afraid he'd say something that would reveal her true identity.
"Just like you are different," he said finally.
Bai took the handkerchief, and her fingertips accidentally touched Yiyong's fingers. His warmth made her feel a little more at ease.
"But... risking my life is still too risky." She whispered, her voice still tinged with tears. "Giyu-senpai is very important to me... I don't want to lose you."
Yiyong looked at her silently, a barely perceptible emotion flashing across his deep blue eyes. He reached out and gently patted her head, a sudden gesture that stunned both of them.
"I won't die easily." He withdrew his hand and stood up. "It's time to prepare dinner."
Bai watched Yiyong walk towards the kitchen and gently clenched the handkerchief in his hand. It still had his unique scent on it - a hint of coldness, yet a reassuring feeling.
As night fell, the two of them were dining under the lamp when Bai suddenly spoke up: "That ghost named Nezuko...where is she now?"
"He's under surveillance at the Butterfly House," Giyuu replied, "Tanjiro is also recovering there."
Shiro looked down at the rice in his bowl, a complex mix of emotions welling up in his heart. He felt hopeful that someone like him would be accepted by the Demon Slayer Corps, yet also worried that this hope would eventually be dashed.
"Tomorrow..." she whispered, "Can I go see them?"
Yiyong looked up at her and nodded gently: "Okay."
That night, Bai Jiulong couldn't fall asleep. She stared at the moon outside the window and thought of Yiyong's always calm eyes. Maybe... maybe one day, she would be able to muster up the courage to confess everything to him.
But not now. It's too early. She sighed softly, carefully folded Yiyong's handkerchief, and placed it on the pillow.
The next morning, Shiro followed Giyu to the Butterfly House. She remained silent the entire way, her fingers twisting the hem of her haori unconsciously. Giyu seemed to sense her uneasiness, but he didn't ask any questions.
In the Butterfly House ward, a young man with a flame mark on his forehead sat beside the bed, carefully tidying up the corners of his sister's clothes in a wooden box. Hearing the door open, Tanjiro immediately looked up, his red eyes gleaming with a friendly light.
"Mr. Tomioka! You're here!" His voice was full of energy, but the moment he saw Bai, his expression suddenly froze.
Tanjiro's nose twitched slightly, and his expression suddenly changed. He stood up suddenly, pointed at Shiro and shouted:
"This person smells like a demon! Even stronger than Nezuko!"
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
Bai's face instantly turned pale, and her heart felt like it had been plunged into an ice cellar. She could feel her blood rushing backward, and her ears buzzing. The moment she feared most had finally arrived, and it came so suddenly and mercilessly.
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. How could she explain it? How could she explain it?
Just when she was about to suffocate, Yiyong suddenly moved.
He took a step forward and covered Tanjiro's mouth tightly with his hands, blocking all the words that the boy had not yet said.
"Shut up." Yiyong's voice was as cold as ice, and a rare fierce look flashed in his always calm blue eyes. "Don't tell anyone about this, not to anyone."
Tanjiro's eyes widened and he let out a muffled whimper, obviously unable to understand why the Water Pillar would protect someone who reeked of a ghost.
Yiyong turned to look at Bai, his tone softened slightly, but still with unquestionable firmness: "If there is anything, let's talk about it when we get back."
Shiro nodded mechanically, her legs still weak. She watched Giyuu restrain the struggling Tanjiro, and then looked at the small wooden box on the hospital bed—sleeping inside was another demon accepted into the Demon Slayer Corps.
Why can Tanjiro smell it? Is it because she is closer to Muzan than Nezuko? Or is it because of the transformations in the laboratory?
Giyuu whispered something to Tanjiro, and the boy finally stopped struggling, but his eyes were still full of confusion and vigilance. After making sure Tanjiro wouldn't say anything, Giyuu let go of his hand and walked towards Bai.
"Let's go back." He said briefly and walked out the door first.
Bai followed behind Giyuu and could feel Tanjiro's eyes following them. When she stepped out of the butterfly house, the sun shone on her body, but she didn't feel any warmth.
On the way back, the two of them exchanged a single word. Yiyong hadn't slowed down as he had on the way there, forcing Shiro to jog to keep up. Countless thoughts raced through her mind—would Yiyong chase her away? Would he kill her like he had with the other demons? Or would he hand her over to his lord?
When the gate of Tomioka's house appeared in front of him, Bai's heart beat so fast that it almost burst out of his chest.
Yiyong pushed open the gate and turned to look at Bai who was standing outside the door hesitantly.
"Come in." His voice was emotionless.
Bai took a deep breath and crossed the threshold. She knew that the next conversation would determine her fate.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
